On-board WiFi: soft launch is underway

Jun 1, 20, 11:56 pm - Wikipost

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Onboard WiFi has been introduced to BA's fleet and is being marketed as Highlife Connect. This thread is to track the rollout.

See https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb.../wifi-on-board for BA's FAQ on the system.

Long-haul aircraft with WiFi fitted

A318 - 0/1 aircraft (unknown if this aircraft will be getting WiFi)

A350-1000 - All fitted (6 aircraft). See note below re. pricing on these aircraft.

A380 - All fitted (12 aircraft)

747 (Mid-J) - 0/13 aircraft (these aircraft will not be fitted with WiFi)

747 (Super Hi-J) - All fitted (17 aircraft)

G-BYGA, G-BYGB, G-BYGC, G-BYGD, G-BYGE, G-BYGF, G-BYGG
G-CIVF, G-CIVH, G-CIVI, G-CIVR, G-CIVS, G-CIVV, G-CIVW, G-CIVX, G-CIVY, G-CIVZ

777-200 - 0/2 aircraft (these aircraft will not be fitted with WiFi)

777-200ER - All fitted (43 aircraft)

777-300ER - All fitted (12 aircraft)

787-8 - 2/12 aircraft

G-ZBJE, G-ZBJF

787-9 - 14/18 aircraft

G-ZBKA, G-ZBKB, G-ZBKC, G-ZBKD, G-ZBKG, G-ZBKH, G-ZBKI, G-ZBKJ, G-ZBKK, G-ZBKL, G-ZBKM, G-ZBKN, G-ZBKO, G-ZBKP

BA are currently trialling free WiFi in first class cabins. For those in other cabins the current cost on all long-haul aircraft except the A350 is:

1 hour: £7.99
4 hours: £17.99
Full flight: up to £23.99 depending on route

The A350 has a different system installed to the rest of BA's long-haul fleet. Price is based on how much data is used:

25MB: £4.99
75MB: £11.99
150MB: £17.99

Note that prices and services offered are subject to change.

Long-haul aircraft still to be fitted with WiFi

787-8

G-ZBJG - Currently at CWL

G-ZBJA, G-ZBJB, G-ZBJC, G-ZBJD, G-ZBJH, G-ZBJI, G-ZBJJ, G-ZBJK, G-ZBJM

787-9

G-ZBKE, G-ZBKF, G-ZBKR, G-ZBKS

Long-haul aircraft not planned to receive WiFi due to retirement

747 (Mid-J) - 13 Aircraft

G-BNLY
G-CIVA, G-CIVB, G-CIVC, G-CIVD, G-CIVE, G-CIVJ, G-CIVK, G-CIVL, G-CIVO, G-CIVP, G-CIVT, G-CIVU

777-200 - 2 Aircraft

G-ZZZA, G-ZZZB

Short-haul and mid-haul aircraft known to have WiFi fitted and enabled

All aircraft except those due for retirement soon have the WiFi hardware fitted but it hasn't been enabled on the whole fleet yet. The system went live on the first few aircraft in March 2019 with full rollout originally announced as expected 'by the end of summer 2019' but now expected during 2020.

A319 - 12/35 Aircraft (23 will not be fitted with WiFi)

G-EUOA
G-EUPL/M/N/O/P/R/S/T/U/Y/Z

A320 - 61/67 Aircraft

G-EUUA/B/C/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/R/T/U/V/W/X/Y/Z
G-EUYA/B/D/E/G/H/I/J/K/L/M/N/O/P/R/S/T/U/V/W/X
G-GATH/J/K/M/N/P/R/S/U
G-MEDK
G-MIDO/S/T/X/Y
G-TTOB/E

A320neo - All fitted (12 aircraft)

A321 - 15/18 Aircraft

G-EUXC/D/E/F/G/H/I/J/K/L/M
G-MEDL/M/N

A321neo - All fitted (9 aircraft)

The price of WiFi on short-haul flights varies according to the length of the route.

The following prices are known:

Messaging - £1.99 or £2.99 depending on flight distance.

Browse & Stream (one hour) - £4.99

Browse & Stream (whole flight)
£4.99 (MAN / NCL)
£6.99 (ARN / HAM)
£7.99 (KRK / LIS / MAS / PMI)
£8.99 (AGP)
£9.99 (LED / SOF)

Short-haul aircraft not planned to receive WiFi due to retirement

A319 - 23 Aircraft

G-EUOE/F/G
G-EUPA/B/C/D/F/G/H/J/K/W
G-DBCA/B/C/D/E/F/G/H/J/K

Background information:

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Sep 30, 17, 12:07 pm

LBP2

Original Poster

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: London

Programs: BAEC Gold

Posts: 226

On-board WiFi: soft launch is underway

On the BA67 and thought I would see if the WiFi had been switched yet - and lo and behold £4.99 later I have an hour of pretty speedy internet 2 hours out of PHL. Very impressed

Sep 30, 17, 12:14 pm

The _Banking_Scot

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Falkirk, Scotland,VS Red, BA Gold, HH Diamond,UK Amex Plat

Programs: Master of the Privy Purse des Muccis

Posts: 13,554

Hi,

Very interesting,

I think you are the first FT to post live from a wifi equipped BA jet ( apart from the LCY jets)

Flightradar24 is showing the flight to be a B744 ( G-CIVS)

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ba67#f0d8475

Regards

TBS

Sep 30, 17, 12:16 pm

MPH1980

Join Date: Aug 2012

Posts: 2,676

I've seen similar on G-CIVR - it's there - but I didn't fancy paying for it.

Sep 30, 17, 12:18 pm

Tobias-UK

Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club

Join Date: Sep 2011

Location: UK/Las Vegas

Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)

Posts: 13,001

WiFi was also available on the BA173 (G-CIVX LHR-JFK) today.

Sep 30, 17, 12:20 pm

ahmetdouas

Join Date: Jan 2016

Location: LHR/ATH

Programs: Amex Platinum, LH FTL (Silver), BA Blue

Posts: 3,001

deleted

Last edited by ahmetdouas; Nov 10, 17 at 7:39 am

Sep 30, 17, 12:20 pm

madfish

Join Date: Sep 2014

Location: Cumbria

Programs: BAEC GGL/CCR, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold

Posts: 4,438

Do we have more info on the pricing?

Sep 30, 17, 12:21 pm

LBP2

Original Poster

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: London

Programs: BAEC Gold

Posts: 226

From the payment screen looks like there might be ‘promo codes’ for free access, then I had £4.99 for an hour up to £14.99 for the full flight. Don’t think that’s bad value. May not be so keen when a full flight is connected tho 😳

Sep 30, 17, 12:28 pm

MPH1980

Join Date: Aug 2012

Posts: 2,676

I got screenshots. Can't upload right now - but there are two tiers:

£4.99 for 1 hour (basic), £10.99 for 4 hours (basic), £14.99 for the flight (basic)

£7.99 for 1 hour (fast), £17.99 for 4 hours (fast), £23.99 for the flight (fast).

Basic is for non-streaming, fast is for streaming.

Sep 30, 17, 12:36 pm

LBP2

Original Poster

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: London

Programs: BAEC Gold

Posts: 226

They might still be working on the tiers because on the basic level YouTube and Netflix is working just fine

Last edited by LBP2; Oct 1, 17 at 6:01 am

Sep 30, 17, 1:09 pm

#10

Prospero

Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges and Carbon Conscious Travel

Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: London, UK

Posts: 19,964

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBP2

On the BA67 and thought I would see if the WiFi had been switched yet - and lo and behold £4.99 later I have an hour of pretty speedy internet 2 hours out of PHL. Very impressed

This is great news. Thanks for sharing,

I've taken the liberty of amending the thread title, to attract more eyes

Sep 30, 17, 1:12 pm

#11

MPH1980

Join Date: Aug 2012

Posts: 2,676

Screen caps of the options attached.

Attached Images

ben1991 likes this.

Sep 30, 17, 2:11 pm

#12

ahmetdouas

Join Date: Jan 2016

Location: LHR/ATH

Programs: Amex Platinum, LH FTL (Silver), BA Blue

Posts: 3,001

deleted

Last edited by ahmetdouas; Nov 10, 17 at 7:39 am

Sep 30, 17, 2:57 pm

#13

rossmacd

Join Date: Jan 2010

Posts: 7,348

If it is Gogo provided, I'm hoping there is a high chance for iPass 'free' access, just like AA ^

Sep 30, 17, 3:50 pm

#14

LondonCanuck

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Ottawa, Canada

Programs: BA Silver - hard drop from GGL :( SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, AC E50k

Posts: 564

Excellent. Will be in a 747 to Denver in Nov so will hopefully get one that have it... Maybe worth starting a Wiki as more planes get enabled and people can report their experiences ?